Oil filtration system



1 April Z4, 1934. c, w, MKlNLEY 1,955,822

Y oIL FILTRATION SYSTEM Filed Aug. 13, 1927 Patented Apr. 24,1934

UNITED STATES OIL FILTRATION SYSTEM harles W. McKinley, Flint, Mich.assignor.to

A C Spark Plug Conipany,

' Dany `of Michigan Flint, Mich., a com- Application August 13, 1927, Serial No. 212,806

23 (c1. 12a-19s) This invention relates to internal combustion engines as used on automotive vehicles and has particular reference to a system of crankcase ventilation combined with an oil filter.

In the past crankcase ventilation systems havetaken the air directly from the crankcasewithout causing it to pass through anyV intermediary device. It has also been the practice to construct the oiling system independent of the crankcase ventilation. It is the purpose of the present invention to combine the two systems in order that the one may mutually aid the other.

Present day automotive engines are commonly provided with oil lters, and also with a crankcase Ventilating system designed to remove gasoline vapor and other diluents from the engine oil supply, but so far asv I am aware the two systems have never been combined. It is the object of the present invention to secure by the use of one apparatus the functions and advantages of both oil filtering and the ,vaporization of diluen s.

The object of the invention is accomplished by passing the .air as it is drawn from the crankcase through the conventional oil filter. -As the air passes through the lter it will come in contact with the filtered oil and carry along any water vapor or other impurity which is susceptible of being taken up by the air. Thestream of air dra'wnfrom the crankcase is rather warm and vtherefore assists in thevaporization of fluid diluents which may be found in the oil stream.

To attain the object of the invention I attach to the intake manifold a pipe or connection which leads to the oil lter, and a second pipe or connection-from the opposite end of the oil lter to the crankcase. The connection from the lter to the crankcase permits the return of the filtered oil and at the same time serves as a passage for drawing the air in the crankcase through the 40 lter. The ow of air will be in the reverse direction to the flow of the oil and the amount of air passed through the connection is controlled by means of two valves. One of the valves is connected with the throttle so as to be operated simultaneously therewith and has two openings or passages of different sizes. The second valve.is spring pressed and may be placed at any suitable place in the system. I preferably place the spring pressed valve so that it is between the filter and the throttle operated valve although -the system will operate just as well if the1 spring pressed v'alve is arranged on the manifold side of-the throttle Ioperated valve. In actual practicelboth valves are placed between the lter and the intake manifold, and it is the suction from the latter that operates thesystem. The smaller opening of'the valve connected to the throttle is used during starting'or at relative low speeds and will permit but a relatively small portion of crankcase air to be drawn to the `intake manifold. The size of the hole is so chosen that it does not interfere with the normal operation of the carburetor. The second hole in the valve is much larger, and when the carspeed reaches about 15 miles per hour this hole begins to open and is fully opened at about 35 per hour car speed; or, in other words, when the throttle is fully open the larger opening is fully opened. Experience has shown that this large opening and relatively largeadmission of air from, the crank-- case has no bad effect on the action of the carburetor at normal driving speeds. It has been found, however, that if the throttle is held wide open and the load increased on the engine until the car speed drops to 15 miles per hour or less the additional air entering the intake manifold through the large opening will reduce the carbureted mixture) to such a degree that difficulty will be experienced in firing the mixture, and uneven 30 operation will result.

To remedy this condition of uneven operation caused by the relativelyV large admission of air through the larger opening when the engineis running atrelatively low speeds, I provide the. "35 spring pressed valve to which reference has previously been made. 'I'he pressure of the'spring on the valve is so chosen that the valve will not be lifted at differences of pressure less than approximately three Ainches of mercury. This is about the difference in pressure existing between the inside vof the intake manifold and the atr mosphere when the engine is developingits maximum horse power at maximum R. P. M. with the throttle wide open.

If the R.: P. M. of the engine is reduced while the throttle continues to be held wide open the diilerence between the pressure in the intake manifold and the atmosphere reduces progressively as the speed is reduced. As this difference in pressure becomes less, the spring pressed valve will tend to remainA closed which will effect enriching of the carbureted mixture by closing the Ventilating connection through the filter.

v I n operationvthe device acts somewhat as an economizer in that a certain amount of fuel vapor which exists in the crankcasek resulting from unconsumed gases that leak by the pistons is mixed with the air and redrawn into the firing chambers. .110.

ing, 10 indicates an internal combustion engine,

12 the carburetor, 14 the intake manifold, 20 the oil filter, 16 the crankcase, and 18 the throttle valve. These parts are conventional and their structure per se forms no part of the invention.

The -lter 20 has the usual inlet 21 and is connected at its lower end to the crankcase 16 as shown at 22, by means of a short length of pipe or tubing 24, and to the intake manifold 14 at its upper end by means of a connection 26 in the form of a tube or pipe which tapped as shown at 28 to the intake manifold.

The upper portion of the lter is provided with an opening 30 and over the opening there is applied a tting 32 secured to the filter by means of the bolts 34. The lower portion of the fitting 30, whilethe upper portion is enlarged as shown at 36 to provide a chamber 38 in which there is housed a tapered coil spring 40, the apex of which presses against a one way valve 42. The seat of the valve is tapered to conform to the tapered seat 44, .located at the junction of the neck portion 37 of the fitting 32 with the enlarged portion 36. Secured to the fitting 32 is a housing 46 which incloses a valve 48 having a relatively small opening 50, and a relatively large opening 52 extending therethrough. The housing 46 has an opening 53 at its upper end, and an opening 54 at its lower end which communicates with the chamber 38 in the enlarged portion 36 of the tting 32. The lower portion of the housing 46 is provided with a recessed portion as shown at 56 which recessed portion forms a continuation of the chamber 38.

Within the chamber 38 there is placed the conical-shaped member 58 having a s'eat 60 at its upper portion for the reception of the base of the tapering coil spring 40, while the apex of the conical member 58 is directed toward the stem 62, of the valve 42. The conical member 58 is provided with a plurality of openings 64 to allow for the passage of air through the openings 54, 5o, 52, and 53, and to the tubing 26 which leads to the intake manifold 14. From an inspection of Figure 2 it will be apparent that the spring 40 is under compression and tends at all times to maintain the valve 42 on its seat 44.

The valve 48 has a stem 66 which extends outside the housing 56, and has attached thereto a lever 68 which is secured to the throttle lever 76 by means of an interconnecting link 72 the purpose of which is to cause the simultaneous operation of the throttle valve 18 with the valve 48.

From the position of the parts shown in Figure 2, it will benoted that the larger opening 52 of the valve 48 is just commencing to coincide with the openings 53 and 54 in the upper and lower portion of the housing 46, and at the same time the throttle valve` 18 is commencing to open. When thelevers 68 and 70 are further swung through an angle of approximately the throttlevalve 18 will be in wide open position while the opening 52 will be in alignment with the openings 53 and 54 in the housing 46 and @119W 'Iheinvention is shown on the accompanying a free passage of the air through the connection 26 to the intake manifold.. The position of the parts as shown in Figure 2 shows the operation of the engine at comparatively low speeds while when the valve 48 is so turned that the opening 52 is in alignmentwith the openings 53 and 54, the engine will be at its normal running speed, or will be under load at full throttle open position.

The openings 50 and 52 in the valve 48 are shown as at right angles to each other and may be so used but in actual practice I prefer to have them at an acute angle to each other; i. e., the angle between the openings at the opening 53 in Figure 2 will be less than 90.

The passage of air through the system is caused by the suction in the intake manifold which at normal running speeds is suicient to raise the valve 42 from its seat against the pressure of the spring 40. When the larger opening 52 is in alignment with the opening 54 and an increased load is added to the engine it will cause a de. crease in the speed of the engine although the throttle valve 18Y will be maintained in its full open position. In this situation the air which would be normally drawn through the opening 52 would be such as to seriously interfere with the eiiiciency of the mixture in the intake manifold and it is accordingly at this stage that the valve 42 closes the ventilation system entirely or prevents the withdrawal of such quantity of air therethrough as will interfere with the ecient operationof/the engine. The difference in the pressure in the intake manifold and in the atmosphere will be reduced progressively as the speed is reduced; therefore, as the difference in pressure becomes less the spring pressed valve 42.. ywill remain closed.4 The effect will be to enrich the carburetor mixture.

The ow of air in the system will be from the crankcase 16 through the pipe 24, lter 20, ntting 32, valve housing 46, and connection 26 to the intake manifold and is in reverse direction to the ow of iltered oil. The oil will enter the filter at the inlet 21, pass through the filtering material 27, and flow to the crankcase through the outlet pipe 24 (the remaining portion of the filtering system is not shown or described as it is of the conventionalkind and per se forms no part of the invention except insofar ,as it enters into combination with the remainder of the structure). Because of the reverse flow of the air and oil, and due to its heated condition, the air will absorb or carry along therewith water vapor or other impurities or diluents in the oil and deliver them to the ring chamber, resulting in a purifying of the oil.

I claim:

1. In combination with an internal combustion engine and an oil filter, a system of crankcase ventilation operated from the suction of the intake manifold comprising a connection between the crankcase and manifold passing through the lter casing, means in the connection for controlling the passage of air through the connection filter, means having a plurality of different sized openings and operated simultaneously with the engine throttle for regulating the flow of air through the connection, saidl smaller opening being in alignment with the connection during throttle closed position only.

3. The combination of an engine having a lubricating system and a crankcase, an oil filter, means for passing oil from the system to the fllter and returning the filtered oil to the crankcase, and means for causing air from the crankcase to pass through the filter to comeinto ycontact with the filtered oil in the filter for removing diluents therefrom. y

4. The combination of an engine having a circulating lubricating system and a crankcase, an'

oil filter, means for conductingoil vfrom said system to said filter, a conduit for leading filtered oil from saidfilter to the crankcase, and means for causing a fiow of air through said conduit and through the filter in contact with the filtered oil for effecting removal of diluents.

through. I

5. The combination .of an engine having a circulating lubricating system and a crankcase, an Oilfllter, a casing for said lter, means for conducting oil from said system to said filter, a conduit for returning filtered oil from said casingto the crankcase, and means for drawing air through said conduit and entirely through said casing in contact with said stream of filtered oil for effecting removal of diluents.

6. In combination withan internal combustion the crankcase through the filter in direct contactv with the oil therein.

7. In combination with an internal combustion engine and an oil filter, a system of crankcase ventilation including a connection between the crankcase and the intake manifold passing through the oil filter casing to draw the air from the crankcase through the filter in direct contact with the oil therein, and means operated with the engine throttle for regulating the iiow of air.

8. In combination with an internal combustion engine and an o il fllter, a system of crankcase ventilation including a connection between the crankcase and the intake manifold passing through the oil fllter casing to draw the air from the crankcase through the filter-in direct contact with the oil therein, and means in the connection between the filter and' manifold and operated with the engine throttle for regulating thel flow of air therethrough.

nection having a plurality of openings for regulating the flow of air therethrough.

10. In combination with an -internal combustion engine and an bil filter, a system of crankcase ventilation including a connection between the crankcase and the intake manifold passing through the oil filter casing to draw the air from the crankcase through the filter in direct contact with the oil therein, and a valve in said connection having a plurality of openings of different size for regulating the fiow of air there- 11. In combination with an internal combustion engine and an oil filter, a system of crankcase ventilation including a connection between the crankcase and the intake manifold passing through the oil filter casing to draw the air from the crankcase through the filter in direct contact with the oil therein, and a plurality of valves for regulating the flow of air-through the connection.

12. In combinationwith an internal combusnection, one valve operated manually and the I second valve spring operated. l

13. In combination with an internal combustion engine and an oil filter, a system of .crankcase ventilation including a connection between the crankcase and the intake manifold passing through the oil filter casing to draw the air from the crankcase through the filter in direct contact with the oil therein, and a plurality of valves for regulating the fiow of air in the connection, one of said valves operated manually with the engine throttle.

1'4. In combination with aninternal combustion engine and an oil lter, a system of crankcase ventilation including a connection between the crankcase and the intake manifold passing through the oil fllter casing to draw the air from the crankcase through the filter in direct contact with the `oil therein, and means for controlling the flow of vair through the connection comprising a spring operated valve, a second valve adjacent said spring operated valve, a plurality of passages in said second valve, and a connection between said second valve and the engine throttle wherebysai'd valve is operated simultaneously with the throttle.

15. The combination of an engine having a stream of filtered oil for effecting removal of diluents, said air flowing in a directionv opposite to the direction of fiow of the stream of oil.

16. In a system of crankcase ventilation for internal combustion engines in combination with an oil fllter in the engine lubricating system, and means for drawing air from the crankcase through the oil filter in direct contact with the oil therein.

17. In combination with an internal combustion engine and an oil filter, a system of crankcase ventilation including a flow connection between the crankcase and the intake manifold passing through the oil filter casing to draw the air from the crankcase through the fllter in direct contact with the 'oil therein, and means inthe connection to regulate the fiow of air therethrough.

18. In combination with an internal combustion engine and an oil filter, asystem of crankcase ventilation including a connection between lating the flow of air therethrough.

19. In combination with an internal combustion engine and an oil ilter, a system of crankcase ventilation including a connection between the crankcase and the intake manifold passing through the oillter casing to draw` the `air from the crankcase through the lter in direct contact with the oil therein, and a valve in said connection for regulating the flow of air therethrough. pk

20. In a system of crankcase ventilation for internal combustion engines having a lubricating system, in combination with an oil-lter, a suction operated means for drawing air and vapor from the crankcase through the oil filter in direct contact with the oil therein.

21. In combination With a system of crankcase ventilation for internal combustion engines ymeans for passing air from the engine crankcase into contact with the oil after it has been ltered and then passing said air into contact with the oil while it is being ltered.

CHARLES W. MCKENLEY. 

